Berlin's Adjustments Making Difference

MERIDEN — The Berlin softball team opened its season in sunny, hot Florida. The Redcoats had six new starters and after a preseason in which they didn't get outside to practice much because of snow cover and poor field conditions, a lot of things were up in the air.

Their opponent, at least, was familiar: CCC South foe Maloney. And Maloney proceeded to beat the Redcoats handily by eight runs.

On Monday night, the two teams faced each other again at Dunn Sports Complex. The weather, noticeably cooler than Florida, wasn't the only thing that was different. Berlin was a more complete, confident team. And the Redcoats jumped on Maloney, ninth in the Courant's area rankings, early and held on for a 5-3 victory.

Since starting 1-2, Berlin has gone 13-1, with its lone loss to Newington, fifth in the Courant's area rankings.

"Our pitcher's different, our catcher's different," Berlin coach Jason Pires said. "There were a lot of people out of position at the beginning of the year and six new starters. It took us a little while to get ourselves acclimated. But since we started 1-2, we're 13-1 and I'm pretty happy about that."

Berlin (14-3) got three runs in the first inning on a single by Vanessa Reimer, back to back triples by Jackie Arute and Kelsie Anderson and a double by Alyssa Germano. The Redcoats scored two more in the second when Reimer hit a ball to center field and when no one called it, it dropped between two outfielders. Then Emily Cooney and Arute singled.

Maloney (13-5) scored in the second on a two-run double by Nicole Tomlinson and got another run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Gabby Graham.

"If we catch that routine fly ball in center field — they got two unearned runs after that, it's a 3-3 game and we're playing a little bit differently," Maloney coach Scott Aresco said. "I don't think we've gone down by that much that early this year.

"We hit the ball extremely hard many times. Berlin made some really good plays. You can't be too mad at that. It was a good game. I like the way the kids fought back."

Arute, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI, made a great catch in left field to end the game.

"The other coaches, they weren't in Florida — just me — and I told them just to see who we are now, compared to where we were six weeks ago as a team, it's night and day," Pires said. "That's a great team and we were able to shut them down. We had one inning where we kind of fell apart a little on pitching but [Julia Legace] got it back together. Our defense was great."